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NHTSA campaign 25V436000 · manufacturer recall 25PACF

2024–2026 Kenworth and Peterbilt: exterior lighting recall

Delayed and unsteady headlights can result in insufficient illumination of the road, decreasing the driver's visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an unexpected position change of the lift axles may increase the risk o

high 56,260 vehicles affected FMVSS 108 71% reported repaired

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
Problem PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Kenworth T480, T680, T880, W990, Peterbilt 520, 536, 537, 548, 567, 579, 589, 2025 Kenworth T180, Peterbilt 535, 2025-2026 Kenworth T280, T380 and L770 vehicles. The tail brake light, upper and lower beam headlights, reverse light, and turn signal may not illuminate as intended. In addition, the lift axles, if lowered, may revert to a raised position, or oscillate up and down when the signal warning lights are activated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment." Risk Delayed and unsteady headlights can result in insufficient illumination of the road, decreasing the driver's visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an unexpected position change of the lift axles may increase the risk of injury. Fix Dealers will update the VCU software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 19, 2025. Owners may contact Kenworth's customer service at 1-425-828-5888 and Peterbilt's customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's number for this recall is 25PACF.

Reported to NHTSA Jun 26, 2025 by PACCAR Incorporated, owners notified Aug 19, 2025.

What that means, in plain English

Source: WhichTrim's reading of the filing above — not NHTSA's wording

Headlights and brake/turn signals failing to illuminate as intended directly reduces visibility and crash-avoidance capability, while unexpected lift axle movement poses a physical hazard; a software update fix and no stop-drive order keeps this below critical.

Written for us by a language model from the manufacturer's filed text, which is quoted in full above. Where the two differ, the filing is the record and this is only our summary of it.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 25V436000

Vehicles built from May 8, 2023 onward — a VIN outside that window is not part of this campaign even if the year, make and model match.

Model yearOn WhichTrim
2025 Kenworth L770—
2026 Kenworth L770—
2025 Kenworth T180—
2025 Kenworth T280—
2026 Kenworth T280—
2025 Kenworth T380—
2026 Kenworth T380—
2024 Kenworth T480—
2025 Kenworth T480—
2026 Kenworth T480—
2024 Kenworth T680—
2025 Kenworth T680—
2026 Kenworth T680—
2024 Kenworth T880—
2025 Kenworth T880—
2026 Kenworth T880—
2024 Kenworth W990—
2025 Kenworth W990—
2026 Kenworth W990—
2024 Peterbilt 520—
2025 Peterbilt 520—
2026 Peterbilt 520—
2025 Peterbilt 535—
2024 Peterbilt 536—
2025 Peterbilt 536—
2026 Peterbilt 536—
2025 Peterbilt 537—
2026 Peterbilt 537—
2024 Peterbilt 548—
2025 Peterbilt 548—
2026 Peterbilt 548—
2024 Peterbilt 567—
2025 Peterbilt 567—
2026 Peterbilt 567—
2024 Peterbilt 579—
2025 Peterbilt 579—
2026 Peterbilt 579—
2024 Peterbilt 589—
2025 Peterbilt 589—
2026 Peterbilt 589—

None of the vehicles this campaign names has a page on WhichTrim: the catalogue covers the cars, trucks and SUVs the EPA certifies from 2016 on, and these vehicles fall outside it — older model years, or motorhomes, trailers, buses, motorcycles and chassis cabs the EPA does not rate. The campaign record above is complete as filed, and whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by its VIN. Other campaigns on vehicles without a page here →

How much of it has been fixed

Source: manufacturer quarterly report, 49 CFR 573.7
Reported repaired 71%

of the campaign

5 quarters into the six-quarter reporting window, and still climbing.

This is the manufacturer's own cumulative count of vehicles it has inspected and repaired, divided by the vehicles the campaign covers. It files that count with NHTSA every quarter for six consecutive quarters, starting from the quarter in which owners were told a remedy was ready, and then the obligation ends — so a figure on an older campaign is where the count stopped, not where it stands today.

It rarely reaches 100%, and not because the work was not done. The same report asks manufacturers to count vehicles they could not reach at all — exported, stolen, scrapped, or simply never located — and those stay in the denominator. A low number means a lot of these vehicles are still out there unrepaired; it does not tell you which ones.

The federal paperwork

Source: nhtsa.gov

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. Type the VIN and the WhichTrim recall report checks this campaign’s build window and engine against it.

Campaign 25V436000 · the manufacturer calls it 25PACF

Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.

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A recall covers a build range. Only your VIN settles it.

Check it with the WhichTrim recall report now, or have us check it every night and email you when something new is filed.

Photo: Taiga Miyamoto / Unsplash

Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Is 25PACF the same recall as 25V436000?

Yes. 25PACF is the number PACCAR Incorporated uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 25V436000 is the number NHTSA files it under. One recall, two references — dealers and service departments generally quote the manufacturer's.

Does this recall repair cost anything?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.

How do I know whether my vehicle is included?

By VIN, not by model year. This campaign covers vehicles built from May 8, 2023 onward. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.

What if the repair is not available yet?

It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.

What did the manufacturer say was wrong?

The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.

Who started this recall?

NHTSA's record credits the manufacturer. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.